Bats Surge To Series-Opening 9-4 Win Over Iowa
While Nothing Night at Louisville Slugger Field on Tuesday night meant no in-game entertainment or mid-inning promotions, the Louisville Bats still put on a show for the fans, scoring early and often to defeat the Iowa Cubs 9-4 in the opener of a six-game series. The scoring began in the
While Nothing Night at Louisville Slugger Field on Tuesday night meant no in-game entertainment or mid-inning promotions, the Louisville Bats still put on a show for the fans, scoring early and often to defeat the Iowa Cubs 9-4 in the opener of a six-game series.
The scoring began in the bottom of the second, with Ryan Vilade reaching on a two-out single against Iowa starter Chris Kachmar (L, 1-2) to set the table. Former Iowa Cub P.J. Higgins was able to cash in by lining a double to the gap in in left center, allowing Vilade to come home with the first run of the evening.
After working around baserunners in the first two frames, Bats starter Jose Franco finally cracked in the third. With a runner on first and two outs, Iowa outfielder Owen Caissie connected on a 424-foot two-run home run to the roof of the Humana Cabana in right field, his 20th homer of the season to put the visitors up 2-1.
Louisville immediately responded in the bottom of the frame. Hector Rodriguez reached with a one-out single and stole second before Rece Hinds walked to put two on with two outs. Then, Christian Encarnacion-Strand hit a towering fly ball down the left field line that landed in the seats near the foul pole. The ball was called fair by home plate umpire Felix Neon, giving Encarnacion-Strand a three-run homer to put Louisville up 4-2. I-Cubs manager Marty Pevey disputed the call and was promptly ejected by Neon.
Franco got the first two outs in the fourth before being relieved by Sam Benschoter, who finished the inning. Franco pitched 3.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
Over the next two innings, the Bats broke the game open. Vilade got it started by walking, stealing second, and advancing to third on an error in the fourth. He would score on a sacrifice fly from Levi Jordan to make it 5-2.
After the I-Cubs got a run back off Benschoter in the top of the fifth, the Bats had their biggest inning of the game to extend the lead. Rodriguez began the inning by singling and stealing second. A walk and a fielder’s choice loaded the bases for Encarnacion-Strand. The first baseman delivered by lining a single to center, scoring a pair of runs to make it a 7-3 Bats lead. Louisville wasn’t done, as Sal Stewart and Higgins each added an RBI single of their own to give the Bats their biggest lead of the night at 9-3.
Benschoter (W, 7-3) pitched two innings of relief, allowing a run on five hits with two strikeouts to earn his team-leading seventh win of the season. Buck Farmer allowed a run over 1.1 innings to hold the lead at 9-4 at the seventh inning stretch.
Iowa loaded the bases with one out against Zach Maxwell in the eighth as they looked to get back into the game. But Maxwell induced a foul out from Greg Allen and a fly out from Christian Franklin to strand the runners. Joe La Sorsa wrapped up the win with a scoreless ninth.
Offensively, Encarnacion-Strand led the way for Louisville, going 2-for-4 with the home run, two runs scored, and a season-high five RBI in the victory. Rodriguez went 2-for-4 as well, scoring twice and stealing his first two bases at the Triple-A level. Higgins added three hits and two RBI while Vilade scored two runs. As a team, the Bats tied a season-high with four stolen bases in the triumph. At the top of the Louisville lineup, Blake Dunn was 0-for-5 as his 36-game on-base streak came to an end.
The Bats (42-55, 10-12 second half) and I-Cubs (49-47, 10-12 second half) meet in the second game of their six-game series on Wednesday night at Louisville Slugger Field. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. ET with Nick Curran and Jim Kelch on the call for Sports Talk 790.